Bocconotti Calabresi – Italian Christmas Cookies

Adri’s Great Blog Cook-a-thon #6

My great Blog Cook-a-thon continues. Travel to Calabria for bocconotti – little mouthfuls – with Cooking with Rosetta. These “little mouthfuls’ are delicate lemon scented pastry cases with a chocolate, almond and cocoa filling warmed with cinnamon and cloves. These are addictive.

The recipe comes from Rosetta Costantino, author, with Janet Fletcher, of My Calabria. I became quite familiar with Rosetta’s book last year when I reviewed it. Click here to read my review. This book would make a great gift for the Italophile or Calabrian in your life. It is filled with regional recipes along with Rosetta’s very personal recollections of Calabria.

Bocconotti are also made in other regions of Italy. Lazio, Puglia and Abruzzo have their own versions. In fact, I think you will find one for every nonna. The Abruzzese make an Easter bocconotto with a filling quite similar to Rosetta’s, but the Abruzzese add a bit of Malvasia wine.

These are easy to make. The pastry dough comes together in a snap in the processor. Ditto for the filling. Be sure to use fresh almonds, a good quality dark chocolate, and the best cocoa you can find. There are many good chocolates from which to choose, Callebaut and Valrhona among them. But when it comes to the cocoa, I always go for the Pernigotti.

Add these to your Christmas cookie tray. Your family and friends will pop these little brioche shaped pasticciotte into their mouths and say “Che buona!” Click here to go to Rosetta’s site for the recipe.

Note: You can click on any picture for a larger image, and to see a slide show!

I have no affiliation with any product, manufacturer, or site mentioned in this article.

These are beautiful Adri – and you know I have a personal memory of these, made by my husband’s relatives in Abruzzo. I came back from one trip there years ago with a huge tin of freshly made bocconotti. My colleagues loved them. You know what’s really ironic? I get RAI International on TV and on today’s cooking show called “La Prova Del Cuoco” they made bocconotti! I recorded it and if I could figure out how to transpose it to a dvd, I’d send you a copy. I need Bart!

Grazie! I love that you have a family recipe for these. Have you ever posted them? I will have to check CiaoChowLinda and find out. That is quite a coincidence about the TV show – funny how those things happen. I heard from Rosetta Cccostantino, and she said she will be including these along with alternate fillings in her upcoming dessert book. I can not wait! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a very wonderful Christmas. Eat bocconotti!

#1 through 4 are posted on my Facebook Timeline where I started this project, but the titles of the recipes and links to the sites where you can find the recipes themselves are detailed in the beginning of my American Food Roots meets Italian Christmas Cookies article. I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season. Thanks for stopping by!